Illinois High Court Rejects Intervention On State Paychecks

The Illinois Supreme Court is not ready to weigh in on whether state employees can be paid while the state government is in gridlock.

A St. Clair County judge has authorized the comptroller to pay workers' salaries. But a Cook County judge had ordered the opposite in a separate case. An appellate court reversed that decision Friday. But because the downstate case is being appealed, there's still a chance for contradictory rulings. 

Attorney General Lisa Madigan says that creates an opportunity for confusion, not to mention political headaches. 

Madigan had asked the state's high court to do away with that chance, by taking up the question itself. 

On Friday afternoon, she received her answer. 

Illinois' Supreme Court justices issued a two-word response: "motion denied".

State Comptroller Leslie Munger began paying workers this week.  

A new fiscal year began July 1 but Gov. Bruce Rauner and legislative Democrats can't agree on a spending plan.